In a monologue on 3AW Radio, Mornings host Tom Elliot has criticised the actions of Victoria Police following an incident where two Australian Jewish men were assaulted while attempting to attend a City of Melbourne council meeting.
Elliot's remarks added to the controversy surrounding the altercation, which has raised concerns about antisemitism and police's handling of the situation.
During the segment, Elliot expressed disbelief at the police response to the situation, particularly their decision to remove the victims, Mark and Yaacov, from the area instead of apprehending their attackers.
He questioned the validity of police claims that the men lacked valid tickets, citing video evidence that supports their assertion of having tickets to the meeting.
Elliot condemned the police for a failure to uphold the rights of the Jewish individuals present at the meeting. He argued that both the Jewish attendees and the anti-Israel protesters had the right to express their views peacefully and that police should have taken measures to separate the two groups rather than simply removing the Jewish men from the area.
🚨INSANE FOOTAGE: Police blame VICTIMS but new video tells different story
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) February 22, 2024
Melbourne Jewish man knocked to the ground and threatened to be killed by anti-Israel protesters is banned from city 'for his own safety'.
Full story: https://t.co/y0IrhOXOOm pic.twitter.com/tMTZch3HEN
The host's remarks reflect growing dissatisfaction with the police response to incidents involving minority groups and underscore the need for a thorough investigation into the handling of the situation.Â
Elliot's commentary adds weight to calls for accountability and transparency in law enforcement actions, particularly in cases involving potential acts of discrimination or bias.
According to Mark and corroborating footage, the demonstrators physically assaulted him and his friend Yaacov while police allegedly stood by without intervening on his behalf.
Mark requested police apprehend his attackers; they instead dragged him away and banned him from Melbourne City for 24 hours.
If @VictoriaPolice had taken appropriate action against the VIOLENT OFFENDERS initially (including a clear threat to kill at 2:37), then independent journalist @therealrukshan would not have been assaulted hours later by the same group.
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) February 23, 2024
Heads should roll. https://t.co/bJ2fG1bmDI
City of Melbourne council has been strongly criticised over its involvement in global affairs, with locals arguing for a focus on local mandates.